2018 Ford Focus Review, Specs, Price, Release Dates

The 2018 Ford Focus is a complete and competent economy car. It’s available in a variety of configurations, including no-frills commuter machines, high-performance hatchbacks and, even as an electric car.

However, the 2018 Ford Focus main strength is a comfortable ride, a quiet interior along with pleasant handling. The available Sync 3 infotainment system is also excellent. It’s fast, robust and supports the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ensuring your trip won’t lack entertainment.

On the downside, the Focus rear seats are tighter than most rivals, and the power from 1-liter three-cylinder engine seems inadequate when you accelerate on the highway speeds or passing. Some rivals are better than the Focus in this area, but it’s still worth try if you’re shopping for an economy sedan or hatchback.

What’s new

The 2018 Ford Focus carries over unchanged.

Trim levels and features

The 2018 Ford Focus is a compact economy car that offered in hatchback or sedan body style. Its available in five trim levels: the base S, SE, SEL, Titanium and an electric variant called Electric. The high-performance Focus ST and RS are reviewed separately.

The Focus SE is available as a hatchback or sedan. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, power rear windows, cruise control, a front center armrest, a trip computer, rear air vents and a six-speaker sound system.

The optional Cold Weather package adds heated mirrors, heated steering wheel and front seats. The SE with the 1.0-liter engine are eligible to Appearance package that adds different 16-inch wheels, black exterior detail elements, foglights and daytime running lights. A 17-inch wheel is also available with this package.

The Focus Electric is hatchback only and equipped similarly to the Titanium trim but also add xenon headlights and restyled taillights. Leather-trimmed seats are optional.

Engine Specs

The 2018 Ford Focus is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 160 horsepower and 146 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on the S, and a six-speed automatic is optional. The SE hatchback, SEL and Titanium come standard with automatic, which is technically a dual-clutch automated manual that Ford calls Powershift.

In performance testing, the 2018 Ford Focus Titanium hatchback with automatic accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds, which is a bit slower than average for this segment. EPA estimated fuel economy is excellent at 31 mpg combined (26 city/38 highway) for the automatic transmission and drops to 28 mpg combined (25 city/34 highway) with the manual.

The Focus SE sedan gets a turbocharged EcoBoost 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine produces 123 horsepower and 125 lb-ft of torque. You can choose either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2018 Ford Focus Electric has a 107-kilowatt electric drive motor fed by a 23kWh lithium-ion battery pack. It produces 143 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque and sent to the front wheels through a single-speed direct-drive transmission. In track testing, the Focus Electric went from zero to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds.

The EPA estimated range is 115 miles and 107 MPGe combined driving, with energy consumption of 31 kWh per 100 miles. With a 240-volt home charger, the battery can be fully charged in four hours.

Interior

One of the 2018 Ford Focus main keys is its interior design. This is a vehicle that can be categorized as an economy car, but the cabin does not feel cheap at all. The material has a quality look and feel, and all the controls are simple and logically placed. The Sync 3 touchscreen infotainment interface on the SEL and Titanium trim is easy to use and supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone app integration.

Although the front seats are comfortable and roomy, it’s a bit harder in the backseat. It’s definitely tight for adults, and competitors like the Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic are doing much better in this area. Out the back, when you start packing your luggage, the Focus is slightly closer to the average. The sedan model offers 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space, which is about 2 cubic feet less than the class leader.

Release Date and Price

The official price for the base Focus S starting at $18,375. The SE starts at $20,025 for the sedan and $21,320 for the hatchback. The SEL sedan cost $22,250 and the hatchback $22,450. The Titanium trim demand $25,050 for the sedan and $25,250 for the hatchback. Prices for the Focus Electric start at $29,995.